Month: January 2014

BSD Consulting USA is offering a GRI G4 Sustainability Certified training in NYC on February 21st and 22nd, 2014 in partnership with Columbia Impact Investing Initiative (CI3) at Columbia University (116th St and Broadway, New York, NY 10027).

The GRI Certified Training Program is a 2-day theoretical and practical course. Participants will learn to identify important sustainability issues, manage them, and report their sustainability performance following the GRI principles. The training is based on the official GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework, and is illustrated using local examples, while discussions of trends in sustainability reporting ensure that participants are informed of current developments. Input-lectures, case studies, group work, and best practices optimize the quality of training. In addition, through this course practitioners will be able to advance the sustainability strategies and report of their own companies.

What is the GRI Certified Training Program?

Course Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the participant will have gained:

• A better understanding of sustainability reports as a communication tool and as a useful tool for internal management.
• Training and tools on how to use the GRI Guidelines efficiently for external communication.
• A deep understanding of the sustainability reporting process based on the GRI

Guidelines

• Tools and training to develop methods to increase transparency, credibility, and the
quality of information given on the sustainability report of his/her company.
• A deep understanding on how to conduct an inclusive stakeholder engagement and a
materiality assessment according to the quality principles defined by the GRI Guidelines
• Exposure to examples and best practices of sustainability management and reporting among the private and public sector.
• Providing a forum for interaction among participants to enable the exchange of ideas and experiences.

The course takes participants through a step-by-step process of the GRI sustainability reporting journey. At the end, participants are able to use the GRI G4 standard to produce a basic sustainability report. After successful completion of the course, participants receive a GRI certificate of attendance.

Why Choose BSD-USA as your Training Partner?

BSD Consulting is an official GRI Certified trainer since 2008 in the USA and 9 other countries. BSD Consulting is the global leader in GRI training, with over 2,500 practitioners trained. BSD Consulting has elaborated more than 100 sustainability reports for external companies.

The course is intended for students or professionals interested in sustainability management and reporting. It is especially interesting for those who are either directly involved in the sustainability reporting process of their own company, or assisting other organizations with their sustainability reporting.

Come join your fellow Columbia graduate students at the first ever Valentine’s Day mixer at VIP Room, on February 14! Ticket prices are $20, and include speed dating, and one hour open bar. You must be 21+ to purchase a ticket, IDs will be checked at the door.

Lack of access to stable and affordable energy sources is a concern for low income people in Latin America. “Energy poverty” is a reality for many in the region, who often lack access to electricity because of high energy costs. Financial organizations can bridge the gap through innovative financing mechanisms for clean energy, which in turn can achieve a triple bottom-line impact.

While MFIs, funders and investors are becoming more aware of the situation, there is an opening for more organizations to enter this space. This session will outline the business case for clean energy finance in Latin America and an expert group of panelists will explain the challenges and opportunities involved in entering this sector.

This one-day conference will examine the innovations and technologies transforming the world’s urban environments—from grid modernization and commercial and residential efficiency, to transportation and urban renewables—and the critical issues confronting these sectors in the face of climate change.

Conference attendees are invited to a closing reception hosted by the Energy Policy International Club (EPIC), the graduate student energy group of the NYU-SCPS Center for Global Affairs (CGA).

COLUMBIA STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE COMMUNITY DISCOUNT. For more information, please contact Michelle D’Amico at michelle.damico@nyu.edu.